After the UCLA Bruins collapsed again in their first game of the Pac-12 Tournament, they are now officially on the bubble to make this year’s NCAA Tournament.
This afternoon, the Bruins will find out if they have been selected as one of the top 68 teams in the country.
There are a few changes which have been made to this year’s tournament. First, all of the games in this year’s tournament will be played in Indianapolis. Think of it like the “NBA Bubble” for college basketball. The second big change is that the First Four games will be played on Thursday, instead of the usual Tuesday.
That necessitates the third big change. Instead of playing games on Thursday through Sunday on the first two weekends of the tournament, games will be played on Friday through Monday. This actually makes a lot of sense since the Final Four gets played on Saturday and Monday.
Now, we just need to find out if the Bruins make the Big Dance and, if so, who they will be playing first.
Join your fellow Bruin fans discussing the selections in the comments below.
Selection Sunday
What: NCAA Tournament Selection Show When: 3 pm PT, Sunday, March 14, 2021 TV: CBS Live Stream: March Madness Live
Go Bruins!
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Looks like most experts expect UCLA to get in. That would make me wrong... I actually do want to see them in the tournament... even if they drive me crazy. I’d like to see how they stack up. Drake and Wichita st in first play in game. Will UCLA be the other play in game?
If you knew we would lose Chris Smith and Jalen Hill for most of the season, would you have thought the Bruins would even make the tournament? This is not a team with a lot of talent and is very thin in the front court. I have high expectations for the program in the long term but my immediate expectations are a lot less. Perhaps Oregon State wasn’t as lousy as you thought? They beat UCLA, Oregon and Colorado on successive nights. Great coaching job.
Honestly yes? Even without Smith for conference play and Hill for the second half of conference play UCLA still had enough talent to do well in a bad Pac-12 Conference. Like, UCLA is not the only team to lose major contributors this year. It is more disappointing that, unlike last year where the Bruins put together their best basketball to end the season, this year's team just collapsed down the stretch.
This isn't to say that the long-term outlook of the program does not still look good, but the end of this season can absolutely be disappointing even given what UCLA has gone through.
Well, we see things a bit differently. I see a team that is not tall, not particularly quick, nor one that shoots the ball particularly well. Add in some poor decision making at the wrong time. We were unlucky in some close losses but also lucky in some close wins. I don’t see an NBA player on the roster.
Oregon State caught lightning in a bottle. UCLA, Oregon, and Colorado all got quad 3 losses because of it. Had UCLA actually not blew the game, they might have won the conference tournament.
I don’t see how UCLA even has a chance... they’ll probably be 9.5 point underdog for the game. I don’t think mich st is good this year, but they’ve won some quality games unlike ucla
I expect ucla will lose by 15. Mich state has a better set of balanced players and a hall of fame coach. They are playing better to end the season and have far more big wins.
If UCLA wins it will be a miracle. I love UCLA with all my heart but will actually be betting for mich state to cover the spread and I don’t care if it’s 9.5.
If UCLA wins, they’ll probably win against BYU. If that happens and UCLA lucks out by not having to play TX, they could be sweet-16 bound. Tourney runs can be as much about luck as it is about skills and coaching!
For reference ucla plays pretty poor defense. The teams that mich state loses to play good defense... UCLA this season doesn’t play defense at all... they get shredded by quality guards and while I don’t know for sure mich state usually has at least two good guards which doesn’t bode well for UCLA... mich st also plays defense better than most pac 12 teams from a metrics perspective. This matchup is bad for UCLA on both ends of the court
We can all agree they aren’t contending to win the National Championship, but at least we can hope they can win a game to get into the “real tourney.” I know it’s a hard order especially from what we have seen over the last 4 games. I do think, they had some good game between and patches here and there. I thought the sc lost was a bit cruel, but if they can play the way ther played the first half of that game they definitely have a chance of winning. Once again, I don’t expect anything but as alumni we can hope right.
After UCLA's late-season collapse, I had expected either a play-in game or stay at home. Their NET ranking helped to get them in. Well, it's time for Coach Cronin and the Bruins to contract some March Madness, or else be outcoached and outplayed by Coach Izzo's team for another Last Four quick exit.
Mich st is far more balanced... it will take izzo making some bad decisions, ref interference, covid, or some other magical interference. If mich state plays to half of their potential they should win this game. Mick coaching the best game of his life may still lose this game
Yep, it could very well end up being another disappointing (possibly lopsided) loss to end UCLA’s season. But there are reasons why both teams are 11-seeds and relegated to a play-in game. Hoping MSU comes into this match overconfident and has a subpar performance in order to give the Bruins a chance. Then the Bruins need to play some decent defense, minimize the number of boneheaded plays, and not fall apart if they build any sort of a lead. Must contract March Madness to win (not COVID!). Best of luck to them on Thursday.
They'll probably be a double digit seed if they do get in.
Looks like most experts expect UCLA to get in. That would make me wrong... I actually do want to see them in the tournament... even if they drive me crazy. I’d like to see how they stack up. Drake and Wichita st in first play in game. Will UCLA be the other play in game?
UCLA is either in the play in game, or they are out... would they get a matchup with mich state?
Not watching....only see the bracket on NCAA.com. My guess is out.
UCLA vs Michigan State. Looks to be a quick exit which isn’t a surprise. One team is ascending and it’s not the Bruins.
A disappointment to end the season.
If you knew we would lose Chris Smith and Jalen Hill for most of the season, would you have thought the Bruins would even make the tournament? This is not a team with a lot of talent and is very thin in the front court. I have high expectations for the program in the long term but my immediate expectations are a lot less. Perhaps Oregon State wasn’t as lousy as you thought? They beat UCLA, Oregon and Colorado on successive nights. Great coaching job.
Honestly yes? Even without Smith for conference play and Hill for the second half of conference play UCLA still had enough talent to do well in a bad Pac-12 Conference. Like, UCLA is not the only team to lose major contributors this year. It is more disappointing that, unlike last year where the Bruins put together their best basketball to end the season, this year's team just collapsed down the stretch.
This isn't to say that the long-term outlook of the program does not still look good, but the end of this season can absolutely be disappointing even given what UCLA has gone through.
Well, we see things a bit differently. I see a team that is not tall, not particularly quick, nor one that shoots the ball particularly well. Add in some poor decision making at the wrong time. We were unlucky in some close losses but also lucky in some close wins. I don’t see an NBA player on the roster.
Oregon State caught lightning in a bottle. UCLA, Oregon, and Colorado all got quad 3 losses because of it. Had UCLA actually not blew the game, they might have won the conference tournament.
I don’t see how UCLA even has a chance... they’ll probably be 9.5 point underdog for the game. I don’t think mich st is good this year, but they’ve won some quality games unlike ucla
As of an hour ago, UCLA was a 2 point favorite. Betting lines are interesting.
Baskets, let's talk expectations. I expect UCLA to lose to Michigan State? What say you?
I expect ucla will lose by 15. Mich state has a better set of balanced players and a hall of fame coach. They are playing better to end the season and have far more big wins.
If UCLA wins it will be a miracle. I love UCLA with all my heart but will actually be betting for mich state to cover the spread and I don’t care if it’s 9.5.
If UCLA wins, they’ll probably win against BYU. If that happens and UCLA lucks out by not having to play TX, they could be sweet-16 bound. Tourney runs can be as much about luck as it is about skills and coaching!
For reference ucla plays pretty poor defense. The teams that mich state loses to play good defense... UCLA this season doesn’t play defense at all... they get shredded by quality guards and while I don’t know for sure mich state usually has at least two good guards which doesn’t bode well for UCLA... mich st also plays defense better than most pac 12 teams from a metrics perspective. This matchup is bad for UCLA on both ends of the court
UCLA in play-in game vs Michigan state. Wow haha
It’s tough draw. However, it’s a new season that begins Thursday. Not saying they will win, but anything can happen.
If UCLA wins, they would play run and gun BYU!
We can all agree they aren’t contending to win the National Championship, but at least we can hope they can win a game to get into the “real tourney.” I know it’s a hard order especially from what we have seen over the last 4 games. I do think, they had some good game between and patches here and there. I thought the sc lost was a bit cruel, but if they can play the way ther played the first half of that game they definitely have a chance of winning. Once again, I don’t expect anything but as alumni we can hope right.
Michigan State is a tough opponent with an elite coach.....even in a down year for them, I would not bet against them in the round of 68.
After UCLA's late-season collapse, I had expected either a play-in game or stay at home. Their NET ranking helped to get them in. Well, it's time for Coach Cronin and the Bruins to contract some March Madness, or else be outcoached and outplayed by Coach Izzo's team for another Last Four quick exit.
Mich st is far more balanced... it will take izzo making some bad decisions, ref interference, covid, or some other magical interference. If mich state plays to half of their potential they should win this game. Mick coaching the best game of his life may still lose this game
Yep, it could very well end up being another disappointing (possibly lopsided) loss to end UCLA’s season. But there are reasons why both teams are 11-seeds and relegated to a play-in game. Hoping MSU comes into this match overconfident and has a subpar performance in order to give the Bruins a chance. Then the Bruins need to play some decent defense, minimize the number of boneheaded plays, and not fall apart if they build any sort of a lead. Must contract March Madness to win (not COVID!). Best of luck to them on Thursday.